glendenning



8 Sheets-Sheet 1.

J. GLENIJEVNNIN'G. School-Desk.

NfEfifls FHOTO-LITHOGRAPHER, WASHINGTON, D. C-

Q8 Sheets8heet 2. J. GLENDENNING.

.Sohool-Desk.

Nd. 224,174. Patentedfeb. 3, 1880.

, I 8 Sheets-Sheet 3. 'J. GLENDENN'ING; School-Desk;

Pa fnted Feb. 3, I880.

" UNITED S ATES PATENT OFFICE.

SCHOOL-DESK.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters PatentNo. 224,174, dated February3, 1880. g

' Application filed September 10, 1879. Patented in England, January 4,1879.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, JOHN GLENDENNING, ofNorwich, England, have invented new and useful Improvements in andrelating to School- Desks, of which the following is a specification,reference being had to the accompanying drawings.

My invention relates to school-desks; and my object is the manufactureof such desks with great economy, durability, and steadiness orrigidity, while increasing their convenience for the purposes ofschool-teaching'under conditions highly favorable to the requirementsof, the pupils.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 represents a top viewof a desk embracing my improvements; Fig. 2, a side View; Fig. 3, afront view of the desk part and its standard; Fig. 4, a side view of thedesk part, showing the hinged part thereof folded over or closed; Fig.5, a vertical section of the. desk part on the line as w of Fig. 1, thehinged part being unfolded or turned down Fig. ,5, a simi': lar section,showing another adjustment of the desk; and Fig.- 6, a similar View toFig. 1, showing a cheaper form of desk part, with a single casting ofthe two separate standards.

My improved desk is constructed with the desk proper, a, and the seatI), both supported immovably, with regard to each other, upon' separatestandardsc c, of a single casting, making a very cheap, rigid, and firmconstruc- .tion of school-desk. These standards are of unequal height tosuit the desk and the seat parts, and they are connected by abase-ligature, 0 making" the two parts one and bracing both againstbeing thrown over, either forward or backward, said ligature being asingle rib extending centrally inrelation to the position of the pupil,and is therefore between the feet, and gives a free passage between thedesk and the seat. The base part of each standard forms a saddle, o foracross-sill, 0 which is secured thereto by screws, and need only extendout on each side of the ligature 0 far enough to form lateralbraces toprevent the desk from being turned over sidewise.

The top of each standard is suitably widened by projections to allow thedesk and seat parts to be properly secured thereon.

.to the inner side of the box.

The desk part a forms'a fixed box or receptacle for books and otherarticles, and is provided with a hinged cover, a, which may be turnedback to open the box, as'shown by dotted lines in Fig. 5, in whichposition it forms a rest for drawings or matter to be copied. When soused this cover is supported by a chain, a*,

secured to the under side of the cover and The desk is also constructedwith an adjustable part, c hinged at d, so that when turned down, asshown in Figs. 1, 2, and 5, it forms, in connection with the cover a, anample and conveniently-slopingsurface for books and other articles usedby the pupil. When this hinged part is turned up or closed, as shown inFig; 4, it leaves space for the pupil to stand conveniently andcomfortably between the desk and the seat. This part a is open at itsfree side and forms a convenient receptacle for a slate or otherarticle, which can be placed thereinthrough'its open side.

Thefixed part a is provided with grooves e on its inner opposite sidesto receive a ruler, whichalso serves to hold the books in convenientpositions.

In Fig. 5I have shown the adjustable part 0. turned up and supported bythe cover a, which is also raised in a vertical position, so thatsaidadjustable part serves as asupport for a book when the pupil is readingor learning from the same. For this purpose the hinged part a isprovided with a hook, 0?, arranged to engage with a stud, M, on thecover, as shown, so that when the two hinged parts are thus lockedtogether they rest against and support each other. This hook is fittedin a recess at the side of 'the cover, so that when disengaged from thestud it canbe turned back into the said recess and willnot projectbeyond the edge of the part to which it is attached.

The seat-standard c is formed with a back 1 extension, 0 andconstitutes, with the singleoasting standards, athird part of theentirety.

The seat I) is formed of pieces of wood 1) b of suitable shape, andfastenedboth to the seatand to the back by screws.

The desk, although having the desk part and the seat part fixedimmovably with regard to each other, is as a whole portable, and may bereadily moved to any part of the school or .taken out when required.

The desk shown in Fig. 6 difl'ers from that shown in Fig. 1 in havingits desk part of more simple and cheap construction, having noadjustable desk part or attachment. In this Way a combined desk and seatis formed in a very economical manner, having the required strength,rigidity, and adaptability for the purpose, a single casting comprisingthe deskstandard, the seat-standard, and the back of the seat, all readyfor the attachment of the necessary parts for use, and requiring nofloorfastenings, but having a bearing formed by the ligature and thecross-sills that gives a solidity of position to the desk and to theseat.

1 claim- 1. In a school-desk in which the desk proper, a, and the seatI) therefor are supported each by and upon separate single standards 0c, said standards, the seat-back 0 the base cross-saddles c and the baseconnecting part 0 which together form a unitary casting, in combinationwith the cross-sills c for said base-saddles of each single standard,substantially as and for the purpose herein set'forth.

2. In a school-desk, the desk-box (1, having its cover a hinged at ornear the rear side at the top of said box, and the box part a hinged atthe front side of said box a, both said hinged parts being vadapted tobe raised in meeting positions over the desk-box, in combination withmeans, substantially as described, whereby these hinged parts are lockedtogether in such raised positions, substantially as and for the purposeherein set forth.

JOHN GLENDENNING.

Witnesses:

ARTHUR B. DENNIS, 2 Bloomsbury Place, Dcrcham Road, Norwich,

Solicitors Olcrh.

JAS. HY. S'rUBINGs, 7 Gladstone St, Earlham Road, Norwich, Clerk toJlIr. T. W. Hmisell, Solicitor, Norwich.

